Georgios Liavas

At 17, Georgios Liavas became the second-youngest player in Panetolikos history to make his debut in the top flight of Greek football.

Liavas came through the Panetolikos academy and played for the senior side from 2018 to 2025, making 136 Super League appearances and scoring eight goals. He operates as a holding midfielder or a centre-back, and uses his right foot.

The run was interrupted in January 2021 by a knee injury that kept him out for more than a year. He returned, and in 2023/24 supporters voted him Panetolikos Most Valuable Player of the season. In the wider Super League vote for player of the season he finished third, with 1.39% of the ballot.

His international record is confined to the youth grades. He played four times for Greece U16 and three times for the U17s in 2017, then 13 matches for the U19s across 2018 and 2019, scoring twice. Three U21 caps followed in 2019 and 2020. No senior call-up is on record.

In August 2025 Liavas moved abroad for the first time. Rio Ave announced the transfer on 12 August; reported fees ranged from €400,000 to €500,000, with the higher figure cited most often. He wears number 54 in Portugal.

He was born in Archontochori, a village in the municipality of Xiromero in Aetolia-Acarnania. He has won no team trophies — no league title, no cup.